Train Tickets
What’s the best way to explore Liguria?
By train!
That’s right – the train runs all along the coast and stops in nearly every seaside village. With its mostly straight route along the shoreline, it offers stunning views and takes care of the driving for you – zero stress!
No parking hassles, no traffic jams. Just an easy, affordable way to travel.
To make things even easier, we’ve arranged a free shuttle service to the small train station in Riva Trigoso, about 1 km from the campsite.
Note: This station doesn’t have a staffed ticket office – only a ticket machine, which doesn’t always work reliably. When it’s crowded or you’re short on time, you risk missing your train.
To avoid any issues, we strongly recommend buying your tickets online before you travel.
Which tickets should you get?
Here are a few practical tips based on the most popular destinations among our guests:
CINQUE TERRE
To visit the Cinque Terre, purchase a return ticket to Levanto. Thanks to our free shuttle, the best train departs around 9:45 am, with a recommended return train arriving back in Riva Trigoso at around 6:10 pm.
In addition to your train ticket, you’ll also need the Cinque Terre Card.
You can buy it on the official Trenitalia website under “Promozioni e servizi regionali”. Once there, select “Carte multiservizio” and choose the type of card that suits you.
You don’t have to register on Trenitalia to make a purchase, but if you don’t, you’ll need to make two separate payments – one for the Card and one for the train ticket to Levanto.
The Cinque Terre Card includes, until midnight of the selected day:
- Unlimited train travel between Levanto and La Spezia
- Access to the iconic Blue Trail and other park hiking routes
- Free use of toilets at train stations
- Free bus transport within the park
- Free guided tours (select options)
- Free Wi-Fi in designated park areas
Important: The Cinque Terre area has its own set of train rules:
- Without the Card, each single ride between villages includes a Cinque Terre Express surcharge.
- Standard tickets don’t allow for hop-on-hop-off travel between stops.
The good news? A train passes roughly every 15 minutes – so you’ll still enjoy a lot of flexibility.
PORTOFINO
Buy a ticket to Santa Margherita Ligure. The recommended train leaves around 9:11 am, and the return journey to Riva Trigoso gets in around 6:00 pm.
On the way there, you’ll need to change trains at Sestri Levante (about a 20-minute wait). Coming back, you’ll often find direct trains.
Once in Santa Margherita, you’ll find a bus to Portofino leaving from just outside the station every 30 minutes. Or, for a scenic alternative, head down the stairs to the waterfront and hop on a ferry (one departure per hour).
GENOVA
Like Portofino, reaching Genoa requires a train change at Sestri Levante.
Genoa’s historic centre lies between its two main stations: Genova Brignole and Genova Piazza Principe. You can get off at either one, explore the old town on foot, and catch your return train from the other.
When purchasing your outbound ticket, always select Genova Piazza Principe – the fare is the same.
Planning to visit the Aquarium? In that case, get off directly at Genova Piazza Principe.
OTHER DESTINATIONS
Beautiful spots like Sestri Levante, Camogli, Zoagli, La Spezia, and many others are easily reachable from Riva Trigoso station:
- Heading towards Genoa: change trains at Sestri Levante
- Heading towards La Spezia: direct trains are often available
Save time and avoid the hassle
As you’ve seen, booking tickets online is not only convenient – it helps you avoid delays and travel stress.